Improvement in machines for barbing fence-wires



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGHAPHER. WASHIMGYON, D C.

sneensfsneen 2. E. P. PEAOOCK. Machine for Barbin No. 215,769.v

g Fence-Wire. Enatented May-27,1879.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHBGRAPNER. WASHINGTON, n.6.

l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. P. PEAGOCK. Machine for Barbng Fence-Wire. No.215,769.

Patented May 27, 1879.

jrwezor.

UNITED STATES ATET ELIJAH P. PEACOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTHE THORN WIRE HEDGE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR BARBING FENCE-WIRES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,769, dated May 27,1879; application tiled July 12, 1878.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH I). PEACOGK, of Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Machines for Fastening Barbs on Fence-IVires, which is fullydescribed in the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure lrepresents a side elevation ofa machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a frontend elevation of thesalne, the feed-table and its support, the reel and its support havingbeen removed; Fig. 3, a longitudinal Section of the same, taken on theline .fr fr, Fig. 2; Fig.

'4, a detail perspective, showing a portion of the feedtable, supports,and sliding carriage provided with grappling-hooks; Fig. 5, a plan viewof the under side of the same; Fig. 6, a detail elevation, showing theattachment of the barb-support-s; Fig. 7, a plan view of a singlesupport detached; Fig. S, a detail elevation of the barb-separatingdevice; Fig. 9, a plan view of a single barb-separator detached; Fig.10, a section ofthe reciprocating carrier; Fig. 11, a detail section ofthe same, showing the attachment of the grappling-hooks; Fig. 12, a planview of the inner portion of the feed-table; Fig. 13, a det-ailelevation of the compressing-dies; Fig. 14, an end elevation of one ofsaid dies; Fig. 15, a barb after the operation of the dies; Fig. 16, adetail elevation of mechanism for operating certain parts; and Fig. 17,a section of the same, taken on the line y y, Fig. 1(`. Fig. 1S isaperspective view of the machine, with the feed-table and upper die indotted lines; Fig. 19, a detail View, partly in section, of the clutchto prevent backlash; and Fig. 20 is a detail perspective View of `lthegate on the feed'table.

My invention relates to a machine for automatically fastening barbs onfence-wirc, the barbs being first punched and strung upon the wirc inany suitable manner.

The invention consists in various devices for separating the barbssingly, placing them in proper position under compressing-dies, andfeeding the wire along at proper intervals; in mechanisms for operatingthese devices, and in special combinations ot parts, all of which willbe hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

The machine is intended for use in fasteningbarbs, substantially of the'form shown in Fig. 15 ot' the drawings, without the notches therein.These barbs are madey by any process suitable for the purpose, andpunched through the central portion thereof, and then strung inquantities upon the wire.

In the drawings, A represents the main supporting-frame of the machine,from which arises an upright portion, a, consisting of standards and topycross-beam. A horizontal feed-table, B, is attached to the upper partof which the wire is placed as it runs forward p from the spool. Thesegates are held in an upright position by means of a lever, b2, whichlocks in the supports, but may be released at will, so as to permit thegates, or any one of them, to be turned do wn forward. These gates areto hold the barbs 'back and prevent them from accumulating in one mass,which I have found will prevent the successful feeding ot' the wire.When, however, they are divided up into sections by means of the gates,no difficulty is experienced in drawing the wire forward to produce thenecessary feed; and when the section ot' barbs on the feed-table is usedup one of the gates is turned down and another sect-ion of barbs slippedforward onto the table.

The front edge of the feed-table is provided with slots, as shown inFig. 12 of the drawings, to accommodate the movement of the devices forseparating and supporting the barbs.

An arm or rod, C, is pivoted to' a crank-arm, c, mounted on a bearing ona pendant, c1, attached to the lower side of the feed-table, as shown inFig. 6 of the drawings. This arm projects forward underneath the table,and has at its forward end two points, c2, which enter the slots c4 inthe rear edge of the table and pro-1 ject rearward therefroln somewhatabout on a level with or a little above the surface of the table. Theinner end of the arm is extended a little back of its pivot, and isconnected by a spring, c3, to the lower or journal end of the crank-armo.

From this construction and mode of supporting the arms C it is evidentthat they are yielding and may be forced back a short distance, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings; but when released the actionof the spring, arranged as it is behind the pivot, will immediatelythrow the arm forward again.

The mechanism for separating the barbsthat is, singling out the firstbarb from those behind it-consists of upright arms or levers D, whichare arranged to be projected up between the ends c2 of thesupporting-arms C, just in front of the feed-table. Below the table theyare pivoted to the forward ends of levers d, which in turn are pivotedto a pendant, d1, on the under side of the table.

The lower ends of the levers D extend below their pivots, and to theirextremities are attached rods D1, which extend back through keepers d2,as shown in Figs. S and 9 of the drawings, and are surrounded by spiralsprings d3, which are held between the keepers and pins in the outerends of the rods. Itis evident, therefore,l that the separators will beyielding on their pivots, and that the vibration of the levers d willthrust these separators up above the surface of the table and withdrawthem below it.

The separators D are arranged side by side and their upper ends arepointed, being beveled on their front edges, as shown in Fig. 8 of thedrawings. Their extreme upper ends diverge slightly, and, they arearranged in the line of the wire as it is drawn through the machine, sothat one will pass up on each side of the wire. The separators D andlevers d, beingV arranged almost wholly in front of their pivotalsupports, will, of course, drop of their own weight, so as to withdrawthe separators below the table, unless held up. The rear ends of thelevers cl, which extend slightly behind their pivots, are connected byspring rods or links D2 to a lever, E, pivoted at its rear end andprojecting forward, with its extreme forward end resting upon aneccentric ring, M1, tted to an eccentric on the main shaft F of themachine. This lever E is held down by a spring, e, and the springs areso arranged that when in its lowest position the springs in the links D2will operate to throw up the separators D; but when the lever is liftedby the action of the eccentric, the tension of these spring-rods D2 isrelieved, and the separators will drop of their own weight.

A rock-shaft, G, is arranged just over the front edge of the feed-table,being mounted in bearings attached to the upright portion t of theframe. This sha-ft is provided with a forked or slotted projection, g,near the center of its length, and on one end is fixed a crankarm, g1,connected by a link, g2, to aT-headcd crank-arm, G1, mounted loosely ona rockshaft, F', on the frameA below the feed-table B.

The lower end of the T-head on this crankarm G1 rests on a cam, G2,mounted on the main shaft F. A spring, g3, attached to the crank-arm Gl,holds it down to the cam, and

vit is evident that the vibration of the crankarm will rock the shaftGr. The cam G2 is made of such shape as to give a vibration to therock-shaft G of about a quarter of a turn, and the projection gisarranged on said shaft so that it is thrown down in a vertical position,and then backward and upward. out of the way.

A rectangular frame, H, is arranged to slide back and forth on suitableways on the under side of the feed-table. The front end of this fralneis connected to the upright arm of the bell-crank lever H1, the otherarmof which projects into the machine over the main shaft, and is held downby a spring, h, attached to its extremity. A cam, H2, on the main shaftis arranged below this horizontal arm, the rotation of which willevidently vibrate the bell-crank, thereby reciprocating the carrierframeH.

At the extreme rear end of this frame are projecting rods h1, slidingthrough guides h2 on the table, and provided with nuts h3 on their outerends, by means of which the movement of the table rearward is limitedand regulated. The frame H extends forward into the machine beyond thetable B, and in its forward end is mounted a rocking shaft or frame, I,from the main portion of which arms i project backward toward the feedtable. Hooks or catches J are pivoted to these arms, being provided withsprings j, arranged in a well-known way, to hold the hooks, as shown inFig. l0 of the drawings. These hooks project slightly to the rear of theends of the arms i, so that there is a narrow space between the tooth onthe upper edge of the hook and the end of the arm, as shown in Fig. 11of the drawings. The springs on these hooks permit them to yieldindependently of the frame by which they are carried, and with whichthey are vibrated up and down. i

A bent rod, tf, projects from the under side of the frame I, to which isattached a springlink, i2, which will evidently operate to throw theforward end of the frame up, and hold it in this position. A short arm,i3, also projects from the upper side of the frame, underneath whichprojects the pin i* of a crank-arm, I, on a double-cranked shaft, thecrank I2 of which is connected by a link-rod, i5, to a pivoted lever,t6, beneath which is a cam, 13,011 the main shaft, the operation ofwhich will at certain intervals throw up the crank-pin i4, therebyvibrating the frame I, so as to throw the hooks downward.

In the upper part of the frame-work a a die, K, is mounted, the face ofwhich is notched or grooved in both directions, as shown in Fig. 14 ofthe drawings, and a similar die, K1, is mounted in a block, 7c, arrangedto slide up and down in the frame c, thereby making the lower diemovable. This block la is reciprocated by means ot' a yoke, K2, on aneccentric, K3, on the main shaft, the yoke being provided with aprojection extending upward, which is hinged to the block 7c. The upperdie is arranged tohave a little vertical movement, the shank for thispurpose being permitted to slide in its seat, and being provided with anut, 705, on its upper end, by means of which the extent of movement maybe limited.

A lever, kl, is pivoted at its lower end to the upright frame c, and isprovided with a squarefaced projection, k2, which extends over and restsupon the upper end of the shank of thel upper die. The upper end of thislever is permitted to move back and forth on a rod, k3, which isprovided with a tension-spring, 7a4, regulated in the usual way by anut, so that the yielding pressure upon the upper die may be regulatedas desired.

An upright frame, L, is arranged in rear of the upright portion, a,ofthe main frame, and is pivoted at its lower end so as to vibrate backand forth. A projecting arm, c', serves as a guide to the upper end ofthis frame, being fitted in a guiding-slot thereon, which traverses thearm. At the lower end of this frame is atoggle-joint, M. The pivot mf*of the lower link, m, of this joint has a slight vertical movement inthe frame. The upper link, m1, is connected to a sliding block, L,mounted in the frame L, in the upper end of which is a sliding jaw, N,attached to a pivotcd bellcrank lever, n, the lower end of which isprovided with a pin, nl, which passes through the block Ll, and issurrounded by a spring, 11.2, having bearings against a cross-pinthrough u, and against the side of block L opposite to that in which isthe lever a, so as to permit the clamping-jaw to yield, and at the sametime give it the proper tension, by reason of the compression or theexpansion ofthe coiled spring, permitting the lower end of lever a torecede from the block Ll, and causing it to advance toward the block.

Another block, L2, is mounted in the upper part of the frame, and has aslight vertical movement. At its lower edge is a stationary jaw orclamp, N', extending its whole length. The bearing-pins Z of this upperblock pass through the sides of the frame, and are connected bylink-rods to the pivot of the lower link of the toggle-joint at thebottom of the frame.

Pins l2 are fixed in the upper edge of the block L2, which enter holesin the top of the frame L, to hold and guide the block in properposition.

The toggle-joint is connected to an eccen` tric-ring, Ml, fitted to aneccentric, M2, of the main shaft of the machine, the eccelltric-ring M1being provided with a projecting arm, m2, which is linked at its outerend to the toggle-joint, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. By thisdevice not only is the frame L vibra-ted back and forth, but thetoggle-joint is also operated to pinch and hold the wire between theclamping-jaws, as will be hereinafter described.

At the rear end of the lnachine is mounted a shaft, O, provided at oneend with a crankarm, o, and projecting at the other end beyond itsbearing and surrounded by a tensionspring, o', which permits the shaftto slide in its bearings.

The inner face of the crank-arn'i is notched like a clutch, and theouter face of the shaftbearing on the same side is similarly notched, sothat when the shaft is rocked by means of the crank-arm the beveledfaces of this clutch arrangement will force it to slide outward alittle, while the spring at its other end will bring it back whenreleased.

Two toothed wheels or disks, P, are mounted loosely on the shaft O,being placed close together; and outside thereof, on the shaft, areloose sleeves p, one of which about fills the space between the wheelsand the shaft-bearing on that side, while the other is eut shorter,leaving a portion of the space between it and the bea-ring to be filledby a spring, pf, which is wound around the shaft and is fastened in.place, so that when the shaft is drawn out by the vibration of thecrank-arm the spring will be compressed, thereby clamping the toothedwheels and iixin g them on the shaft; but when the latter is in itsnormal position the clamp will be released and the wheels permitted torevolve.

Aconneeting-rod, Q, is attached to the cran k o, the lower end of whichis provided with a yoke fitted in the groove. of a wheel or hub, Q', onthe outer end of the main shaft. 0n the inside and outside of the yokeare pins q, and on the hub, on each side of the yoke, are pins q', theseseveral pins being arranged so that one set will operate to move theconnecting-rod in onedirection, and the other set to move itin theother, thereby producing the required vibrating movement of the crank onthe shaft O.

In rear of the shaft 0 is mounted another shaft, R, on which is placedthe spool S, telnporarily fastened thereto. The necessary rotation isgiven to this shaft and spool by means of a friction-wheel, r, on oneend thereof, and a vibrating' arm, r1, fitted loosely on the shaft, andprovided with a friction-clutch, r2, which is arranged to bite the wheeland rotate the shaft with every backward vibration of the swinging arm,while it is released on the forward stroke.

The arm is vibrated by means of an eccentric, T, fitted with a ring, t,connected by a rod, t', to the free end of the arm. 0f course, someother clutch arrangement would give the same movement; but l prefer thedevice described, as it will give slightly to accommodate the change inmotion required as the spool fills.

The operation of this machineis as follows: The cams and othermechanisi'n for driving the several parts being turned. to` produce themovements in their necessary relation to each other, the wire with barbsstrung thereon is vplaced upon the supporting-frame, and one section ofthe barbs arranged upon the feedtable and the end of the wire drawnthrough to the rea-r ofthe machine between the clamps in the frame L.

As the main shaft rotates the rock-shaft G is turned so as to throw theprojection gdown in a vertical position, the wire heilig received in thefork or slot thereof. Immediately the separators D are thrust up, andenter behind the first barb, thereby separating it from the others. Theshaft` then rocks back, throwing the projection up out ofthe way, andtheslid'- ing frame H moves up, so that the hooks J pass underneath thebarb, which is received in the space between the hooks and the endsofthe arms i. rlhc frame then moves back toward the rear end of themachine, pulling the barb along with it underneath into posi tionbetween the dies K Kl, which then move toward each other, and compressthe edges of the barb between them, as shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings,thereby fasteningit to the wire. While this is being done the frame Lswings forward, the toggle-joint being loose, so that the clamps do notbite the wire. The friction of the slide is intended to be sufficient,however, to effect the straightening of the toggle-links upon the firstbackward movement ofthe arm connected thereto, so that the wire istightly clamped between the jaws in the frame L. Just as the latter isabout to start on its backward vibration the frame I is tilted, so as tothrow the hooks downward and release the barb. The frame L now swingsback, pulling the wire and barb along with it, the projection on theshaft G, which is now turned down, preventing the loose barbs from beingpulled through.

When the frame L starts forward again the toggle-joint is lirst broken,so that the clamps on the wire are separated wide enough to permita barbto pass between them.

The feeding' of the wire is done entirely by the vibration ofthe frameL; but at the same time that it swings backward the spool-shaft It isrotated to wind up the barbed wire.

The movement of the parts is so timed that when the frame L swingsforward the toothed wheels P are clamped together and fixed, but areloose when the frame moves back, and they are so arranged that a barbwill be caught and held by the toothed wheels during the forwardmovement of the frame, so as to prevent any backward feed of the wire.These movements heilig repeated, it is evident that with every rotationof the main shaft a barb will be fixed upon the wire, the distancebetween the barbs bein determined by the swing of the frame L. c2 ofthearms C hold the barbs from tilting or rocking to one side until thehooks grapple them, and they are made yielding, so as to move out of theway before the projection on the shaft G.

As already stated, when the section of barbs on the feed-table is usedup one of the gates is turned down and another section slipped forward,it being understood, of course, that a sufcient number of barbs arestrung upon the wire in the rst place to supply its entire length.

It will be noticed that all through the machine the operating devicesare made yielding by the use of springs, so that all danger of breakingany of the parts or stopping the machine is avoided, even though byaccident one of the barbs should become misplaced in passing throughvthe mechanism, or should there be a material difference in size. Themanner in which the, separators, supporting-arms, and hooks yield whenopposed by any obstacle is shown in dotted lines in Figs. 6, 8, and 1lof the drawings, the said lines indicating the movement of these partsbefore obstructions, and not their positions in the ordinary workingofthe machine.

Having thus describedV my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The rock-shaft G, provided with a projection, g, which is thrown downin front of the barbs to prevent their slipping forward with the feed ofthe wire, substantially as described.

2. The rock-shaft Gr, provided with a projection, g, and crank-arm gl,in combination with the pivoted T-head G1, link-rods g2, and cam G2,substantially as described.

3. The pointed fingers D, arranged to vibrate vertically to separate thefront barb from those behind it, substantially as described.

4. The barb-separators D, in combination with independent vibrating armsd, to which they are pivoted independently of each other,

and mechanism for vibrating the arms d, substantially as described.

5. The separators D, pivoted independently of cach other to vibratingarms d, in combination with the link-rods D2, pivoted lever E, andeccentric E', substantially as described. Y

G. The separators D, in combination with the vibrating arms d, to whichthey are pivoted, rods D', and springs cl3, substantially as described.

7. The rock-shaft G, provided with a pro jection, g, in combination withreciprocating separators D, substantially as described.

8. The pivoted arms C, forked at their front ends to support the barbs,substantially asdescribed.I y

9. The feed-table B, slotted at its front edge, as specied, incombination with the forked barb-supports C, substantially as described.

10. rlhe forked supports C, in combination with the vibrating cranks c,to which they are pivoted, and the springs c3, substantially asdescribed. 11. The forked supporting-arms C, in combination with theseparators D and the viA brating stop g, arranged and operating substantially as described.

12. The notched pivoted gate b1, mounted 0n the wiresupporting frame, incombination f-nun. W s I with a fa-stening device for holding it up todivide the barbs strung on the wire into sections, substantially asdescribed.

13. The reciprocating hooks J, arranged to move up and take the barbafter it is separated from the rest, draw it back along the wireunderneath the compressing-dies, a'nd rclease it to permit the feedafter the barb is fastened, substantially as described.

14. The reciprocating retracting-hooks J, mounted on a rocking frame, I,whereby the hooks are engaged with and released from the barb,substantially as described.

15. The reciprocating frame H, in combination with the rocking frame I,mounted therein, and the retractinghook J, substantially as described.

16. The arms i of the frame I, in combination with the hook J, pivotedthereto, and the holding-springj, substantially as described.

17. The compressing-dies K K1, with their faces notched in bothdirections at right angles, as specified, whereby they are adapted tohold and compress the edges of the barbs to fasten the latter on thewire, substantially as described.

18. The movable die K, in combination with the lever k1 and spring h4,substantially as described.

19. The reciprocating frame H, carrying the rocking frame I, incombination with the bellcrank lever H1 and cam H2, and spring h2,substantially as described.

20. The rocking frame I, provided with a rear projecting arm, i3, incombination with the crank I1 and reciprocating connecting-rod Q,operated from main shaft, substantially as described.

21. The rocking frame I, in combination with mechanism for tilting itdownward and a spring-rod, t?, for tilting it in the opposite directionwhen released, substantially as described.

22. An upright pivoted vibrating frame, L, provided with clamps betweenwhich the wire Vis held during the backward-swing of the frame, therebyproducing the necessary feed, substantially as described. v

23. The vibrating frame L, in combination with the clamps N N and thetoggle-jointM, for opening and closing the clamps, substantially asdescribed.

24. The movable clamps N N', mounted in the swinging frame L, incombination with the toggle-joint M and the connecting-rods I,substantially as described.

25. The clamp N, mounted loosely in its sliding block, in combinationwith the lever a and spring a2, substantially as described.

26. The pivoted feeding-frame L, in combination with a clamping device,a toggle-joint for operating the clamps, and a connectingrod, m2,operated from the main shaft and arranged to both vibrate the frame andoperate the toggle-joint, substantially as described.

27. The vibrating clamps for feeding the wire, in combination withmechanism for holding the wire after it is released bythe clamps andduring the return movement ofthe latter, substantially as described.

2S. The notched wheels P, mounted loosely on the same shaft, incombination with mechanism whereby they are clamped at the proper timeto hold the barb and wire during the return movement of thefeeding-frame, substantially as described.

29. The toothed wheels P, mounted loosely on the sliding shaft O, incombination with the sleeves p, the springs o and p', and crank-arm o,with cam-faces between it and the bearing, whereby the shaft is movedlongitudinally by the vibration of the crank to clamp the wheels,substantially as described.

30. The spool-shaft R, provided with afriction-whcel, r, in combinationwith the vibrating arm r1, provided with a friction-clutch, r2, and thereciprocating connecting-rod t', substantially as described.

ELlJAl-I P. PEACOCK.

Witnesses:

L. A. BUNTING, W. O. (loRLIEs.

